


Wilted

by MitzvahRose



Series: What If... [1]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-01
Updated: 2012-12-01
Packaged: 2018-08-28 10:53:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8443090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MitzvahRose/pseuds/MitzvahRose
Summary: The pond of time... a single ripple can alter a world's reality, sometimes, in more ways than you can imagine... People say there are a thousand 'what ifs', but have you ever actually taken the time to try and figure out the consequences? This does. Perhaps in ways you never even imagined.~~~Katniss could not find her words, as she so often found in the story we are familiar with. This time, she was rendered silent.// What if Katniss never volunteered?





	

_Time and space are so flexible. A single change, a single action, can cause reality to spiral in a new direction. A sad ending can become happy, or a victory can become a defeat. All can be altered by the tiniest events._

_A tiny change in reality can spawn enormous consequences. Some are good and improve upon what could have occurred, even if the costs dire. Others undo what could have been a success. A person's actions or lack of action can have far reaching results, far beyond what they may think possible. An individual may cause more problems than they solve with a single choice._

_In her reality, Katniss witnessed the Capital's downfall, all due to a spark that was not properly contained—a spark she struck. The rebellion against the capital may have occurred either way, but in this reality, it was led by their Mockingjay. Without their Mockingjay, could the rebels really have won? The Mockingjay led because of Peeta's capture. Peeta suffered due to President Snow and his fear of what was bound to occur. President Snow only felt that way because of a single pebble, a ripple in the waters of space and time—or in this case, a berry. All of this comes from the source, the endless pool of futures, Katniss' Reaping, or, in reality,_ Primrose _and Peeta's Reaping; where Katniss volunteered for her sister, the poor girl who never stood a chance. The girl who could never hope to be the Mockingjay._

_One change, one tiny event, could undo a plan set in motion. A plan not intended by the speaker. A plan where so many would be lost, but even more saved. An alteration to this reality at a key point could send the Games down a different path... their world towards a different future. It is called the Butterfly Effect. A small change creates drastic changes._

With a flourish of her perfectly manicured hand, Effie Trinket removed the slip. With baited breath and tight grips, all of District 12 awaited the name of the the girl tribute. District 12's female tribute for the 74th annual Hunger Games. Silence. Then….

"Primrose Everdeen!" The strong, clear voice, unhindered by the silence around it, called from the lips of the overly pampered lady, protruding like a hideous blemish. A blemish, a scar to the young girl's family.

"Primrose Everdeen! Where are you darling?"

**_'Again. The name again. Prim's name again. Why? Why her?! I had done everything possible! She hadn't taken a single tesserae, I made sure! Her slip was among hundreds! The odds were entirely in her favor!'_ **

_A girl by the name of Katniss Everdeen, Primrose's sister, had thought this, at least. The universe, it appears, had other plans._

Primrose, pale, was nudged by the girl next to her. She didn't say anything—she didn't have too. Slowly, Prim made her way forward, the people around her parting, sad gazes turned away by owners with shame.

Effie's face lit up, delighted, "Up, up! Hurry!" She peppered, urging the girl on.

Prim, young Prim, did the best she could. She turned, her back facing the crowd—her sister. Shirt tucked into her dress neatly, hands clenched, she took a daring step towards the podium and Effie's outstretched hand.

_In another reality, another time, her shirt would slip from the bindings of her skirt, thus revealing a small tail she would fix. A duck tail. One small thing, one small event, that would break Katniss from her shock in time to yell what would save her sister's life that day. But now, Katniss could not find her words, as so often she would discover._

Prim stared at Effie's hand, slowly making her way up the stairs. Little did she know that, in the crowd, Katniss let out a small squeak, unable to muster the courage to do any more.

_The mettle that led to a rebellion, dead._

The girl next to her surprised the falling  Mockingjay by putting her arm on the older girl's shoulder, but that wasn't enough. Seeing Gale's expression did nothing to help Primrose's sister. Instead, he slowly shook his head, trying to stop the elder sister, ' _ **I can't lose you.'**_ And it worked. Katniss stayed silent.

Prim eventually, the process painfully long, stood beside Effie, petite figure trembling. The rest passed as a negligible blur to the girl. Peeta's Reaping as well as her own, Katniss and her mother visiting her, her friends from school, hugging her, crying into her shoulder, boarding the train... Prim was going to die, and she knew it.

* * *

 

A week or so later, Primrose Everdeen stepped off the carrier and was then led through an all-white hall to an even brighter—oh how ironic—room.

She looked to her Stylist, no, not her Stylist, that was too crude of a description. Her friend, Cinna. She gasped, all her emotions once more flooding to the surface as she took off to the man, soon embraced by his opened arms.

He leaned down when she had calmed, wiping the tears from her near-drowned cheeks, "I'm not allowed to vote, but if I could, I would vote for you."

_A similar line he would have said to the girl's sister in another time, a line that would be proven true._

A kiss to her forehead, a small goodbye, and Prim made her way to the tube. Just as stiff as the day that seemed millennia ago—the day of her Reaping. She stepped inside and was soon locked from the rest of the world, engulfed by panic, already on her way to the artificial forest that may become her resting place; the place where she would take her last, trembling breath. The odds had never been in her favor, why should they now?

As Cinna and the white room disappeared from her sight and were replaced by the forest, she gasped at the beauty of it all. She had never been to the forest, and had expected dark, looming branches to surround her, not an open field, sunlight streaming down, gently grazing her blonde hair and reflecting off her pure blue eyes. So innocent, so pure.

**60! 59…**

The countdown began, but Prim hardly noticed.

**…58…**

Prim's gaze traveled to the Cornucopia and she felt her shoulders tense. There. There was her weapon, leaning against a bag of apples.

**…57…**

The crossbow. She seemed to have gained her father's natural ability to shoot a bow. Just like her sister. Just like Katniss.

**…56…**

…Katniss….

**…55…**

Prim shut her eyes tightly, taking a shuddering breath.

**…54…**

She opened her eyes, ** _'Did they just say four?!'_** She looked around. The only people who seemed relaxed were the careers and exceptions like the boy from 11… Thresh! Right, Thresh.

**…53…**

She turned back to the Cornucopia, but Peeta caught her eye, the one person she thought she could possibly trust.

**…52…**

He shook his head, 'No.' Why?

**…51…**

**_'Wait, one!'_** Not stopping to think, in her hysterical, befuddled mind, Prim thought it was time. Taking her first ste-

* * *

 

**_BAROOM!_ **

The explosion echoed throughout the field. A few of the tributes jumped, jarred, but managed to keep their balance. Most remained calm, but one shot off, thinking it was their cue, causing another bomb to detonate. This time the others were prepared, but the boy from 7… he was the second to die that day.

In record time, a girl had died within the first 10 seconds of the Games, and Claudius Templesmith was now explaining this to his roaring audience with his companion. At the stage where they sat during the Games, reporting on all of the juicy action that occurs, the scene of Prim and the other boy leaping off their podiums continued to replay for the spectators' pleasure.

"And again, Ladies and Gentleman, we see the fastest deaths yet in all of Hunger Games history!"

"Indeed, Claudius, the boy from 7 and girl from 12." His partner added.

"Wait, Prim? Oh…" He paused a moment to let that sink in for the audience, "A true tragedy that the dashing young man from 7 and the 'Girl on Fire', as we lovingly dubbed her, from 12 had to leave us so soon. I know I am not the only one who is shocked by this sudden development… but the Games must go on!"

_And undeniably, they did, only with certain differences. Peeta was killed off as soon as the Careers found him. Glimmer did not die from Tracker Jacker venom, but by a lucky move from the girl of three who had survived the initial bloodbath. The girl from 4's death was swifter, when she attempted to murder Clove in her sleep and was met with a knife in the back. The food mound was never blown up and 3 survived… until Cato got mad and gave him his sudden death when both Foxface and Rue were able to bypass him. Rue was never made a martyr and actually lasted to the top 6, eventually, once again, killed by Marvel who used the same trick as in another, different reality, only Katniss wasn't there to stop him. Foxface was caught in a fire that had been meant for Katniss in another time and place. Thresh only killed Clove when she and Cato went after him in the end, Clove making a foolish mistake, resulting in her death and Cato's thanks at not having to kill her._

_This led to his, Cato's, victory… no star-crossed lovers, no berries, no Mockingjay—all because Katniss couldn't muster the courage to save her sister. Without the duck tail, and with Gale's look, she had been rendered silent, and this time, Peeta couldn't save her with his words. Only she could._

_The 75th Hunger Games did not force previous winners to go into the arena, due to 12 not having enough winners. Yes, Haymitch was left as the sole winner of 12, eventually replaced by a boy named Chaff Hawksmoor in later years._

_The rebellion did occur, but was unsuccessful without their Mockingjay and was soon extinguished, President Snow allowed to live many a year more._

_One voice, if it had spoken out, could have changed this all. But only silence had been heard. Without a brave warrior portrayed as Cinna's Mockingjay, the rebels had fallen to the Capital. And the Games never ended… at least, not that we know of._

**Author's Note:**

> Credit goes to Bookworm Gal on FanFiction.net for the basic idea and the start as well as part of the ending. I hope she doesn't mind me borrowing her intro... feel free to correct me!
> 
> Well, that… was depressing. Guess Prim never did have a chance, no matter how you slice it. So, I hope you liked it even though it was sad, and please review! I would love to hear what you have to say, not to mention ideas for future chapters. So, until next time…
> 
> Oh, and, disclaimer and all that. Wouldn't it be funny to see the lawsuit? xD


End file.
